
Sisterhood
The Women of the Lodges
In Cumberland, women played a vital role in community life by establishing and participating in special branches of fraternal societies, traditionally dominated by men.
In Cumberland, the Pythian Sisters Benevolence Temple No. 9 served as the women’s branch of the Knights of Pythias, Benevolent Lodge No. 14. Similarly, the Beaufort Chapter 61 of the Order of the Eastern Star welcomed women. Typically, women needed a brother or husband in the fraternal order to join an affiliated branch.
The Pythian Sisters and the Rebekahs were active in community support, donating handmade items for fundraising events like the Masquerade Ball organized by the Cumberland Intermediate and Junior Football Club. Members of various lodges in Cumberland frequently contributed to social events or disaster relief funds, with the lodges themselves also stepping in to help.
